The game went on sale on Dec. 3, 2009, and its fast ascent to the top of the Wii sales chart is testament to the popularity of the Mario Bros. franchise in Japan. The game first appeared in Japanese arcades in 1983 and appeared on the Super NES system in 1985. In the years since it has sold millions of copies both in Japan and around the world.

Nintendo is pushing the 25th anniversary of the game's appearance on home consoles with a series of promotional items including a Mario-anniversary version of the DSi XL handheld and a red Wii console.